Baby Avila is two years old and comes from Murip village in the Mul Local Level Government area of Mul/Baiyer District, Western Highlands Province.

Born to father Max and mother Elizabeth of the Kumdi tribe, young Avila was born a perfect little girl with all the features of a healthy child.

However, several months ago, disaster struck when baby Avila accidentally fell into the fire inside their family home and had her left arm and fingers severely burnt, partly deforming it.

Mum Elizabeth had gone to the garden and left baby Avila with her grandmother when she had decided to collect dried leaves from trees to make fire inside the house when she met her fate.

The little girl cried in pain with her arm still inside the fire when the grandmother heard her and went to her rescue, pulling out a severely burnt arm and fingers.

She was taken to a nearby Aidpost where she was treated for burns before being brought to Mt Hagen Hospital for further treatment.

Her last finger was completely burnt and her forefinger was also badly burnt but thanks to the Interplast surgeons, this has now been straightened and she can use this together with the other three fingers.

Mum Elizabeth is grateful that her daughter has the full use of her left arm and fingers minus the last finger and has thanked the surgeons for “creating a miracle” on her daughter’s arm and fingers.

Baby Avila with mother Elizabeth in the surgical ward of Mt Hagen Hospital after the surgery.